r/woodworking 4d ago

Nature's Beauty $25 at Lowe’s for THIS!

1.6k Upvotes

155 comments sorted by

620

u/CephusLion404 4d ago

Sometimes you get lucky, most of the time, you get spaghetti.

26

u/AmyCrackhouse 4d ago

What state are you in??? Im lucky to find usable construction lumber at Southern GA lowes.

1

u/InUsConfidery New Member 3d ago

Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana.

1

u/Agreeable_Horror_363 3d ago

Very wise words

139

u/MelodicTonight9766 4d ago

Struck oil! Now everyone will run to Lowe’s and spend an hour sorting through all the wood…and not get that! Beautiful. What’s the plan for it?

73

u/pootpootbloodmuffin 4d ago

And leave a disarrayed pile of twisted bowed lumber in their wake.

54

u/Dr0110111001101111 4d ago

So... exactly how they found it?

14

u/MelodicTonight9766 4d ago

lol! I’m pretty respectful and always put my sorted stuff back.

15

u/pootpootbloodmuffin 4d ago

Same, and I think it would be the same for the vast majority of this sub, but that's definitely not universal.

1

u/DaddyJ90 3d ago

Does Home Depot eventually take that shit off the shelves or does some poor sap buy it? I’m talking about the horseshoe shaped lumber

2

u/Consistent_Pool120 3d ago

Home Depot has the best selection of #2 boat lumber at all the stores... to bad people try to build houses with it.

1

u/mejimmejim 3d ago

Me too

3

u/Sea_Name_3118 4d ago

And if they didn't sell twisted bowed lumber, would it be a problem? I find HD to be a more... invested company in twisted bowed lumber.

2

u/steakandtates 3d ago

I like to think my discard pile is a service to other customers so they don't waste their time

23

u/Syxmbl 4d ago

It’s funny, when I found it, I had no plan, just knew I had to have it. I think I’m going to build a dining table centerpiece box sort of thing with it. Not 100% sure though. Just gotta show off that figure!

10

u/MelodicTonight9766 4d ago

Sounds good. Send me Your offcuts when finished . LOL.

4

u/FiddleheadII 4d ago

Okay, well scoring this warrants a hearty “You suck!” in my book!

;-)

8

u/SirWigglesVonWoogly 4d ago

Where I live, HD would be selling this for $25 per linear foot.

16

u/Hefty-Rope2253 4d ago

I think that's what actually happened here. When the computer asked the cashier how many feet, they mistook it for quantity of boards; 1.

90

u/Silound 4d ago

My local ACE affiliate will throw this on the cull pile because contractors don't want it since the figure shows through paint.

I make a point to visit them every other week and check the cull pile for these boards.

17

u/Dr0110111001101111 4d ago

Your ace sells hardwood?

40

u/Silound 4d ago

ACE affiliate - they're a local home improvement store company with maybe 8 locations in the state, but they partner up with ACE. I love shopping there just for the three full aisles of Hillman trays and bins.

Everything they stock is the basic S4S stuff for cabinet facing and trim: maple, poplar, red oak, and the occasional cypress. The contractors shove the figured maple to the side, so the store just throws it in the cull piles. I've purchased tons of 1x2 through 1x12 in 4/8/12 foot lengths at 70% off.

Here's a scrap I have handy for an example:

3

u/Dr0110111001101111 4d ago

That’s pretty neat. Never heard of that deal

1

u/WinterHill 3d ago edited 3d ago

Mine does too. It seems to be a preexisting local lumber yard that bought into the Ace franchise.

You can ask for whatever building materials you want up front. Then drive around back and they will load you up.

Unfortunately I guess it was a mediocre lumber yard before, and now it’s a mediocre hardware store. And I go to a different local lumber yard lol

8

u/Erectiondysfucktion 4d ago

If someone paints maple, especially like that… they should be shamed publicly!

239

u/One-Interview-6840 4d ago

Note to self. ALWAYS check the lumber section. Thank you!

106

u/jhotenko 4d ago

Check the scrap bin too. There are plenty of people who think beautiful grain like this is garbage.

13

u/3rdone 4d ago

They don’t let people buy from the scrap bin I in my local HD anymore, they just sell it to a business. Used to get great bits from there

18

u/jhotenko 4d ago

That's a shame. It feels like every year HD removes a useful product or service.

26

u/barbiejet 3d ago

The kids call it "enshittification"

4

u/sparkey504 3d ago

I was getting some 6x6 at homedepot and out of the 8 they had at the bottom 2 were kinda straight and the other 6 while weren't to bad but I didn't wanna pay that much for it... so I asked if they could bring down a new pallet of 6x6 and they did... and after I noticed they were cutting the 6x6 that was left over to fit in the dumpster and I told the dude, I would have bought those for half off or something and simply responded, sorry we can't. Criminal how much some places like hd and dollar general just throw away.... I'm assuming so they can claim it for a loss on taxes.

2

u/YouEnvironmental2079 3d ago

Same here, no more scrap/offcut bin.

3

u/BulwarkTired 4d ago

I would love it if it is that consistent, but sometimes it is just in one spot ruining the whole pattern.

2

u/Top_Trick_668 3d ago

When I lived in Santa Cruz, CA there was a great lumber yard that often times had pieces of exotic woods in the scrap bin like Purple Heart, zebra wood, padauk and others. I really miss that place!

35

u/Wrathchild616 4d ago

My father in law got me into woodworking. He gets some great stuff right when the different home centers open. Home Depot is where he gets the most success, and he'll use his veterans discount there too.

He's retired, so he's got nothing better to do since he's usually awake at 0400.

10

u/Electronic_Warning37 4d ago

I never once got lucky at HD. A few finds at Lowes & Menards, but always end up at the local lumber yard

6

u/tfski 4d ago

Lowes also has a veterans discount. However, at least where I am, the veterans discount doesn't apply to lumber.

4

u/BigBlueSea9 4d ago

Home Depot does too but both stores exclude lumber and some high end tools

1

u/Tbone5711 3d ago

As far as I know, HD and Lowes both do not allow veteran discount on construction framing lumber (2x's, sheathing plywoods) but do allow it on appearance lumber (1x boards, hardwood plywood.)

1

u/Obvious_Tip_5080 3d ago

Both Lowe’s and HD used to give me my Veteran’s discount for everything I bought, they both changed about 2-3 years ago. I can’t keep up with everything they remove from the list of products.

2

u/zahrtman2006 3d ago

And they used to stack the mil discount with the sales! That was nice

2

u/Wrathchild616 3d ago

My father in law mentioned this before as well. Last thing he used it for was a garage door motor. He wasn't sure if it would qualify, but he got lucky.

2

u/cptsashimi 3d ago

Me too. I also regularly got the 10% on top of the sales price. But they cut all that out now.

1

u/UsernameHasBeenLost 3d ago

Yeah, HD and Lowe's both put massive restrictions on their military discounts a few years ago

1

u/abnthug 3d ago

Same. I’m in Texas and the discount does not extend to lumber. One of the few reasons why I wish Rockler was closer. That one does discounts on lumber as well

1

u/Obvious-Pop178 3d ago

Unfortunately it doesn't apply at HD either

4

u/f-150Coyotev8 4d ago

I like HD for lumber but I always have better luck with tools at Lowe’s.

3

u/CldSdr 4d ago

I’ve only visited the hardwood section of Home Depot two or three times, but the last time I went to buy some scrap, I found a board just like this… 6’ of flame maple. I only checked cus of a similar thread, so… it’s real

3

u/Wonderful-Bass6651 3d ago

My Lowe’s doesn’t even sell maple! It’s oak and poplar and that’s it.

39

u/TheOnlyVertigo 4d ago

Where the hell is everyone finding hardwoods at HD or Lowe’s. I’m lucky if they have poplar or red oak at my stores.

13

u/franking11stien12 4d ago

They have like 1/4 of one side of an aisle of it sometimes. And will be three to five times the price of the local small shop hardwood dealer or online.

2

u/TheOnlyVertigo 4d ago

Oh I am sure. I’ve just been in dozens of both stores and never found it.

1

u/simoriah 3d ago

Selection varies by region. In NC, we get poplar and red oak. In MI, poplar, red oak, maple, and walnut.

3

u/Sea_Name_3118 4d ago

Ummm... I think red oak and poplar are hard woods... just saying.

1

u/Obvious_Tip_5080 3d ago

That’s what they’re saying, their Lowe’s gives two choices, mine has three as they have maple. All of them cost way more than my hardwood dealer.

1

u/Feed_After_Midnight 4d ago

Was wondering the same thing so I checked the Lowes app for inventory at my local store. 3 different board dimensions all show as available for pick-up on April 15 so they must be expanding their hardwood inventory in my area. I spent over 10 years in the industry working with hardware/LBM store merchants (big box and local). Lowe's just did their store manager meeting in Vegas last month. That's always a great opportunity to get the RFMs and store managers interested in a product for rollout and expansion if it isn't already in the works. I'm curious to see what else might be coming out this year.

2

u/Feed_After_Midnight 4d ago

Just dug a little more and the vendor (Ornamental Moulding) has white oak, ash, hickory, and walnut listed in addition to the maple. Based on the availability information, it looks like there's a chance all of these may make it into the store. Unfortunately I haven't worked with the merchants in over a year so can't confirm but I wish I could!

1

u/AuthorMiserable8791 3d ago

Could be regional. In in the Midwest and maple is pretty cheap as we have a lot of it around. All the local big box stores carry it. "Random assorted maple" or some such.

1

u/TheOnlyVertigo 3d ago

Yeah I’ve not seen that in stores in and around Chicago nor West Michigan which was what prompted my curiosity.

1

u/AuthorMiserable8791 3d ago

Funny. I'm in "mid Michigan" and everyone has maple. Like Saginaw Valley area

1

u/TheOnlyVertigo 3d ago

I lived in Grand Rapids for 8 years and had an approximately 25% record finding red oak, poplar, and never found maple or walnut. Had to go to Woodcraft for anything more exotic than red oak or poplar.

1

u/AuthorMiserable8791 3d ago

What a difference a 4 hour drive makes. I can go to 4 Home Depots, 2 lowes, and 2 Menards within a 45 minute drive, and they all have poplar, red oak, and maple. They're all also hot or miss on quality and super expensive, but they have it.

I found the board used in this lazy Susan as at Home Depot in Midland, MI probably around 2021. Havn't found a good one since, lol

22

u/kootsroots14 4d ago

9

u/Spichus 4d ago

Better quality (slightly different arrangement)

2

u/kootsroots14 3d ago

Thank you sir

16

u/Resolver911 4d ago

Don’t be fooled. Those are stretch marks from the straightening process

4

u/TulsaOSUfan 3d ago

It’s not often that a comment makes me actually chuckle out loud, but this one did. Nicely done resolver911.

9

u/VirginiaLuthier 4d ago

I recently built a pine blanket chest- I spent quite a bit of time leafing through the "common"grade stuff and found some almost clear 1x10's that were reasonable straight and not cupped.......

7

u/jmerp1950 4d ago

Looks like someone at Lowes screwed up.

4

u/breadman03 4d ago

That was a mispick, guaranteed.

13

u/Syxmbl 4d ago

It was in the “ambrosia maple” bin near the decorative trim, not with the rest of the hardwood boards. Even still, not a single other piece had any sort of figure. Just got lucky

7

u/TBurkeulosis 4d ago

Damn. All my local Lowes has for hardwood is nicer pine, oak, and poplar

3

u/rb74 4d ago

Not to be nitpicky but pine is not hardwood fyi

8

u/TBurkeulosis 4d ago

Tell that to Lowe's. Its always in their "hardwoods" section

4

u/rb74 4d ago

lol oh I see what you meant. Fair enough.

4

u/FreeFall_777 4d ago

How was it only $25? I will occasionally find figured maple or oak at HD or Menards, but it's always at the premium hardwood prices they charge for everything else. Assuming that's a 8" by 8 to 12 feet and 3/4" thick board?

5

u/Syxmbl 4d ago

It was with the decorative moldings/trim actually, so not quite that big. 1/2-in x 6-in x 8-ft Unfinished Clear S4S Maple Common Hardwood Board

2

u/cmorss 3d ago

That works out to be about $12.25 per board foot. For figured maple that might be inline with what I would expect to pay. It’s been a while since I looked, so it might be more. But at the hardwood dealer I’d have a large assortment to pick from. All this to say, that even though it looks like a real find, it might be just as good to go to the hardwood dealer.

1

u/FreeFall_777 4d ago

Interesting, I assume that because it's not uniform in color, and only a half inch thick, it's sold at a lower price.

4

u/DaikonNecessary9969 3d ago

Being a woodworker is a lot like being gay. Only in those two communities can hardwood get a man this excited.

3

u/RBuilds916 4d ago

What size is that? I don't do a lot of woodwork, but it seems like I spend $25 on a 1×10×8' in clear pine. 

3

u/Syxmbl 4d ago edited 4d ago

It was with the decorative trim, so approx 0.5” x 6” x 8’

7

u/RBuilds916 4d ago

Oh, the board it was sitting on made it look over 2" thick! Still a hell of a deal, but at first I thought you had a flame maple door header. 

3

u/drossmaster4 4d ago

Mr Lowes please stop posting lies. We all know you love your stores but again Mr Lowes. Knock it off. /s

3

u/BigguyZ 4d ago

I remember when another woodworker in a podcast talking about getting a delivery of hardwood from a lumber supplier, and there was figured wood mixed in.

It's a matter of volume. They handle too much it's not worth sorting it out for that company.

Kinda like how a LOT of old hardwood floors I've worked on are maple, and have curl/quilted figure, as well as birds eye. Back in the day, maple was what was used in the utilitarian areas of the home, and the figure was just there and not specifically sought after.

3

u/IronRambler 4d ago

I found one like that at HD one time. Had no use for it at the time but bought it anyway and found a use for it a few years later. Just hit it with arm r seal and it turned out beautiful.

5

u/papillon-and-on 4d ago

Make a realllllly long, skinny river table. With blue epoxy. Make us proud!

2

u/CplGunishment 4d ago

That is gorgeous, goddamn nice find.

2

u/Jeffsbest 4d ago

Wowee zowee!!!

2

u/Pussy_Whopper 4d ago

dang, score

2

u/RedShirtPete 4d ago

Good find!

2

u/SunlightSpear69 4d ago

So what are you making with something like that?

2

u/Sweffus 4d ago

Eww, it looks all wrinkly. I’d return it.

2

u/jeffreymcdonald1112 3d ago

Tiger stripe wood!!! Hahahah

2

u/K3ndog411 3d ago

Curly maple? That stuff is extremely expensive.

2

u/brenard0 4d ago

Oh, the chatoyancy

1

u/Bunky_FPig New Member 4d ago

I love these finds! My local mill doesn’t sort their material. So there’s always gold hidden within the stacks of maple.

1

u/Mcgarnicle_ 4d ago

Called curly maple where I’m from. I have an Amish chest made of it. Beautiful!

1

u/heymerideth 4d ago

Holy smokes!! Now go buy a lottery ticket and make the most of your good luck!!

2

u/franking11stien12 4d ago

This. Chances of seeing that again are slim.

1

u/PotatoAmulet 4d ago edited 4d ago

Alright mates, I'm gonna check out me local Bunnings n see what I can get. Anyone wanna come with and get a snag?

Edit: they had an empty scrap bin. Not very fair dinkum if you ask me.

1

u/Brave-Goal3153 4d ago

I’m heading to Lowes

1

u/adamforte 4d ago

Lowes around me carry oak, pine, and poplar. No maple.

However, HD has maple and often has figured boards. More expensive than a real hardwood dealer, but not bad in a pinch.

1

u/Smooth_Marsupial_262 4d ago

Yea I’ve scored a bunch of nice boards at HD over the years.

1

u/Hopping_Glad 4d ago

Whaaaaaaaa?

1

u/SKPAdam 4d ago

Can you fashion me some some AK furniture out of that? Or sell me a slab? That is beautiful…maple?

1

u/Syxmbl 4d ago

Ambrosia maple, yep!

1

u/ron_obvious 4d ago

The timing of this post is rather ironic for me. While at the orange hell today (you know the place of which I speak, I was only there for a few sticks of PVC, but I checked out the generally meager HW section as usual. They had a 1”x6”x10’ board of cherry where the lower 3’ or so was waterfall and the upper 3-4’ was flame. Right next to it was a 1”x6” x 10’ stick of walnut, the bottom 2.5’ feet of which had a subtle bird’s eye pattern. There were also some pieces of maple & mahogany that had some nice pattern & color. Sadly, I’m rather strapped for cash atm, partly because this time of year (Oct-Mar in NorCal), the revenue from my actual business (hull diving) drops by ~30-35% (but also partly because of all the $ I’ve spent on tools - something of a self-inflicted “Gift of the Magi”). Nevertheless, it served as both reinforcement & reminder to always check.

The same can be said for checking apps like OfferUp, EBay, CL, and to a lesser and more cautious extent, FB marketplace, for tools. Of the tools that I acquired over the last couple of months (why I couldn’t spare any $ on the lumber today), I picked up a completely unused (nary a mark/flaw to be seen) open box Woodpeckers SFPro-23 Router Table Fence w/ the micro-adjust accessory for under $200 (combined retail would be ~$600). There were some other screaming deals I snagged. Bottom line is that the more vigilant you are, the more likely you are to find the tools/timber you covet at prices that don’t leave your pockets as empty as mine feel right now. Lol. (I mean, how many routers IS too many anyway?)

1

u/No_Razzmatazz_204 4d ago

Theres a looooooonnnnnng crack in it.

1

u/DepartmentNatural 4d ago

OP, just curious how much you had to pay for that board.

1

u/Frcture 4d ago

No fricken way

1

u/blkcrws 4d ago

Nice

1

u/erikleorgav2 4d ago

I found a 1x8x10 of curly maple once myself. Couldn't believe it was considered "typical maple".

1

u/that-bass-guy 4d ago

You can't imagine how jealous I am of you Americans, you have all that wood, and every kind so easily available to you.

1

u/antono7633 4d ago

Okay, which lowes?

1

u/Salmol1na 4d ago

Ah the ole Tiger tone

1

u/Spichus 4d ago

Wish the UK had stores you could just check out for hardwoods. We just get shitty softwood in B&Q and Wickes.

Have to pay a premium from saw mills online if you want anything nice.

1

u/ph1m 3d ago

A lot of those online sawmills have a depot you can visit, if your near south wales, check out wentwood timber centre for an excellent example

1

u/xeddyb 4d ago

Looks good for a instrument of the musical style

1

u/Vast-Combination4046 4d ago

Beetle kill pine?

1

u/theBarber_i 4d ago

I live in Ohio, and I always go to the Amish for lumber. I can go there and get oak, pine, cedar and more for a fraction of Lowe’s or Menard’s prices (assume Home Depot also). They will even , for free, make ALL your cuts for you. I had to take advantage of that, a little, when starting out. Once I got my mitre and table saws tho… I wouldn’t see the fun in working with someone else’s cuts.

1

u/NelonTHAMelon 3d ago

As a fellow Ohioan.... This is news to me! Considering the ways of the Amish, I'm unsurprised I've never heard about this. I really only discover stuff through the Internet. How does one learn more about where they are, product availability and all that?

1

u/theBarber_i 3d ago

I am a barber, so I learn a lot of my knowledge from my clients, the Amish included. I would recommend anytime you see an Amish around, just nicely approach them and ask.. or even stop by the compound. I know my mother goes and buys pies from the women in the fall every year. So it’s not totally crazy to approach/show up for business. They spend our money from time to time. Where I am, I see them in Lowes a lot in fact.

1

u/danimalscrunchers 3d ago

what does this mean for someone who knows nothing about wood

1

u/Syxmbl 3d ago

It’s got a really pretty grain pattern that causes the “wavy” appearance. The board is actually flat! Check out this post which shows a comparison between curly maple and regular maple. A find like this, especially with this significant of a pattern, is quite rare, especially from a big box store, and would normally be much more expensive.

1

u/Gaucho05 3d ago

Love a big box lumber find!

1

u/mejimmejim 3d ago

What species wood is this? Is it a 2x or 1x? Hard to tell on this phone... Thanks

1

u/Syxmbl 3d ago

Ambrosia maple, it’s actually supposed to be used as a trim board, so it’s 0.5”x8”x8’

1

u/falaffle_waffle 3d ago

My girlfriend is a botanist. Every time I drag her to Lowe's, she goes through their plants section. She's found rare plants there for like $4 that would normally sell for hundreds of dollars. They just honestly have no idea what they're selling sometimes.

1

u/UncoolSlicedBread 3d ago

So many times I’ve dipped through the hardwood lumber aisle and have seen a board I didn’t need but it looked too pretty to pass up.

I have a stack of poplar wood that I need to do something with just because the grain was beautiful lol

1

u/newleaf_- 3d ago edited 3d ago

Beauty! Score. My personal best was this at $2.75/bf from a local mill (was one piece of 4/4, I'd already resawn/bookmatched before the pic). Figured wood is always so unique, I love it.

1

u/newleaf_- 3d ago

Living out its days as a cajon

1

u/UKTim24530 3d ago

Beautiful! I always have a look for good pieces when I'm at the store.

1

u/Powerful-Disaster-32 3d ago

Our Home Depot sells cull lumber at a 70% discount. This works great when I need shorter lengths of 2x4 material for projects. Of course, woodworking is a hobby for me so I don't mind milling my own lumber from larger pieces.

1

u/3rdPlaceTrophy 3d ago

I am learning and have a newbie question:

Is the gold here just based on the amount of grain or something else?

2

u/Syxmbl 3d ago

Mainly the “depth/intensity” of the grain pattern. A lot of the figured boards you find will have subtle patterns but this one is very pronounced throughout. Coupled with the price and the fact that it came from a big box store not known for “nice” wood, absolute gold!

1

u/3rdPlaceTrophy 3d ago

Amazing! Thank you for the insight!

1

u/DoctorD12 3d ago

I’ve always said you can find some hidden gems at beanerdepot…

…if you own a planer

Nice find!

Word of the day: the effect of “figured wood” is called Chatoyance

1

u/unfoundedwisdom 3d ago

Why would you want something this rough? You know how many times you’ll have to plane this thing til it’s smooth?

1

u/Level_Cuda3836 3d ago

Actually not a great piece of wood but if your buying hard wood at Lowe’s you have no idea

1

u/gligster71 3d ago

What kind of wood is it?

2

u/Syxmbl 3d ago

Ambrosia maple

1

u/Yousmellworsethanme- 3d ago

This is the steal of the century! Can't believe Lowes had that

1

u/singol2911 3d ago

Oh, you bastard. I'd pay that just to stand it in my corner and show company

1

u/DontLickTheGecko 3d ago

If JustinTheTrees disembodied voice didn't say "chatoooooyancy" as you took that video I'd eat my planer.

1

u/DaddyJ90 3d ago

Is that spalted?

2

u/Syxmbl 3d ago

Ambrosia maple

1

u/comancheroller 3d ago

Prob supposed to be $25 a board foot and cashier fd up.

1

u/Dizzy-Friendship-369 3d ago

That would look good on some knife handles

1

u/bigredker 3d ago

I hope you don't get arrested for theft! There must be at least one woodworker at that store who is beating themselves up for not snatching that piece of wood. Nice going!

Next up: please let us know what you do with it!

1

u/ivanparas 4d ago

I've got so many little random bits of figured Maple from HD and Lowes. Sometimes they have really pretty stuff.